Hold in the fart!
Well Happy New Year to everyone, I hope that you all had a lovely Christmas, it seems like ages ago now.
Going back to before Christmas Lily went to Bedgebury to school around the SJ course. She was starting to get a little keen but jumped very well and has certainly gained in confidence, which is really pleasing. On Christmas Day we had a lovely pub lunch in the George and Dragon in Ightham with Martin’s father. We probably didn’t need to eat again for a few days but on Boxing Day we saw the Old Surrey and West Kent Hunt off from Chiddingstone Castle, and it seemed only fair to follow it up with a few beers and another pub lunch with friends….
Bright and early on the Tuesday morning Lily went to Duckhurst to jump around the Clear Round. I am making an effort to keep getting her out and about. She is so quick and clever, just a little on the opinionated side sometimes! The more I can get her out the better I think, it’s just fitting it all in. Since then she has also been on a Regumate trial to see if we can tame the hormones, but so far not a huge success so we are wondering if there is also an underlying soreness somewhere given our year of one step forwards and one back in 2011…
The dressage divas were out in force at Bedgebury BD on the Wednesday between Christmas and New Year, and what a fab job they all did! Martin and Tinka made their debut in the two Prelims with a win and a second in their sections. Morgan and Smurf were also making their debut, winning their Prelim overall and being placed in their Novice with just under 70% in both tests. Then not to be outdone Bonnie came over from Essex and trashed everyone with 74% winning the first Novice overall and then got over 70% for a third in the second Novice. Wowee, 74% – you don’t see amateurs getting scores like that very often. With that Oliver is now out of Novice points so it’s Elementaries from now on. I am hoping they will be ready to contest a Medium later this year. What a fantastic day for me, three winners in the first three classes! Hoo-hah!! Not a bad way to end the year. We rushed home for Christmas dinner with those who must be obeyed (aka the biddies) and my brother and his family. I can’t tell you how many times my young nephews joked about the bowler’s Holding, the batsman’s Willey. Seemed to be the cause of much hilarity!
By the Friday before New Year’s Eve I had a charming cold but found the energy to catch up with our friends Gail and Reg for more beer and food. I was starting to grow a squidgy lump over the waistband, not a good look….by New Year’s Eve I felt all partied out but lasted in the pub until about 12.30am when I almost ran the five yards home and crashed into bed! I must be getting old….
On New Year’s day we had (another) lunch with Tina and Laura Reeves, and popped in to see the wonderful Ivy. She looks amazing, you wouldn’t believe she is 21 this year. Still just as humorous as ever!
Then eventually Tuesday 3rd January arrived and the eating out and drinking stopped! Apart from anything Martin was moaning about the huge dent in his bank balance. Grumpy old man.
So starting the new year as we mean to go on we took Lily to the vets for a quick palpation and scan of the ovaries to make sure everything is normal, and it is. We decided to take her off the Regumate until she has seen an osteopath in the hope that he will see the full picture. However this meant that she was on a Regumate ‘come-down’ at Martin’s Coakham meet at Nurstead. Possibly not the best idea! She was fairly feisty at the meet, having not been out for two months, but jumped well on the first hunt. Then before the second hunt started Martin took her up a footpath to wait with one of the whips, and she must have thought that she was missing out because Little Miss Hothead lost the plot and when they did move off she dragged him round Camer Park with her head up his nose and had an epic tantrum in front of everyone after they stopped. Pigtails was well and truly in the house, and embarrassingly had flipped her lid in front of everyone. I then spent the whole of the third hunt worrying. As it turned out she hunted up the front and although strong, was much better behaved and jumped really well. Phew. Martin ended up with a grazed face, his chin is black and blue, and I have to admit he wasn’t very impressed! I too did not escape unscathed despite only being a spectator. Whilst washing her off she spooked at something, went several feet up and came down on my toes. Yeouch! The following day it became obvious that she had a very sore mouth, I know that plastic bits can cause friction but I have never seen anything like it. It looks quite nasty. So that explains the tantrum at least, out of proportion as usual but justified. Now about my foot….
Now I’ve been wondering what you think……During a recent flatwork lesson and after some discussion with the client, I heard myself say ‘sit up, brace your groin and hold in that fart’. I wonder if anyone reading has the faintest idea of what we were doing?! It worked a treat. Maybe I should copyright the fart technique…I could write an article and sell it to the BHS!
Coming up Lily sees the osteopath so I expect a quiet few weeks for her, and we have the next Bedgebury jumping clinic which is full again. The 2012 Carmen Court and Bedgebury clinic dates are all updated on this website, and I shall be organising February pre-season XC schooling soon….
Happy New Year!
Well I cannot tell a lie, I will be jolly pleased to see the back of 2011. We lost mum’s pony Truffles, our foal Lucy and my boy Harry. It is just as well everyone else has done so well!
On the dressage front we have seen some fantastic results – winners at every level from Prelim to Medium, Regional qualifications, several new entries to the 70% club and some great improvements in scores. Debbie has barely competed Jazz but qualified for the Regionals, won at Novice and Elementary and also won his unaffiliated debut at Medium. There is always something special about seeing a horse you have trained from scratch going so well. Janet won and qualified for the Regionals in the Novice Freestyle to Music in their first year at Novice. Jasmine made big improvements to Kevin’s scores, won at Novice and was placed at Elementary. With Reggie she was placed at the Area Festival, had several wins at Novice, joined the 70% club and made their debut with a third at Elementary. Oh yes! Louisa and Strider did their first BD Novices gaining 67% and winning last time out, hopefully we will try for Regional qualification next year. Bonnie too had a light year with Oliver but won at Elementary and got a magic 74% and win at Novice after his injury forced a break. You don’t see scores like that every day! Morgan made her BD debut with scores of just under 70% and a win at Prelim. Gail too won at Elementary, the first since 2007 (now I am in trouble!) However ‘Improver of the Year’ goes to an unaffiliated rider Sue Wheble. She improved her dressage scores by almost 9%. Wouldn’t we all like to do that?! What an amazing achievement!
From the Pony Clubbers there were C+ test passes from Ellie, Morgan, Sally and Elize, a B care pass for Lilly and a B riding pass for Sophie. Sophie qualified for the Novice SJ champs, Ruby qualified for the Open SJ champs, Sophie was placed in the Novice Horse Trial qualifier, and Sally was placed in the Intermediate Horse Trial qualifier. Wow! 2011 also saw Hannah start her first BE100s including some placings at Nurstead and Keysoe. Morgan bettered last year’s achievements by winning Junior Rider of the Year at the National Side Saddle Championships. I remember them on their little ponies!
Martin no longer has time to help with Otto but his efforts were rewarded with Best Dressage and a 4th place in Otto’s first ODE, and Donna went on to achieve 5th in the Open Novice section at the BD Summer Regionals. This horse has truly been transformed and should give those struggling real hope.
Tinka joined us in January barely able to canter and was 2nd in her first ODE in April! She did a few BE90s, and was 8th at Brightling Park in appalling wet conditions when only a third jumped clear. She then finished the season with her first BE100 at South of England where she ended up 14th. This winter she made her BD debut at Prelim with a win and a second. A good year for Tinka!
With very few outings Harry qualified for the Hickstead Masters SemiFinal and was starting to see 70% scores more consistently in his novice dressage. His SJ technique had improved beyond all belief and he had a great winter as Martin’s hunt horse. It is always horrible to say goodbye to such a capable young horse but it is good to remember what we achieved. My prized possession is a sheet with three nines on it, unheard of!
Lily has started her XC schooling and has had a few days out hunting. She is now schooling round SJ courses indoors and won and was placed in her dressage outings. She has been a little uncomfortable and tetchy as some five year olds can be, but hopefully we are coming out the other side of that now…she is proving herself more than capable and is hopefully one for the future.
Ivy is still with the Reeves happily in semi-retirement. Rosie and her first colt Luke have moved to a private home down the road. Tiny is still doing a bit of everything with great success for Clare and her sharers. Lexie is happy at stud where we hope she will have a foal next year by Groomsbridge May I, father of Tinka and Lily.
The jumping clinics continue to be very popular. Seeing the change in some of the regulars is brilliant and makes it all very rewarding. We held our first adult camp at Bedgebury this Summer – what a ball! Not only did we all thoroughly enjoy ourselves but people went away saying ‘I can’t believe what I’ve achieved this weekend’. It really was great, although big thanks must go to Martin and Louisa. I couldn’t have done it without them.
Well done to everybody. I hope that 2012 can be every bit as successful!
Happy New Year!
Mr Twinkle Toes
The dressage divas have been at it again. Morgan Schive held the flag up for Team Lamy at Eaglesfield winning both her novice dressage classes with 72.5% and 72.15%. You can rest assured I have continued to nag this combination to affiliate and I do believe a debut is on the cards soon….watch this space!
I hear from Janet Crumbie that Drummer has qualified for the BD Novice Music Regionals, not bad for a coloured Irish lad in his first year at Novice! He has had a cracking year and made so much progress. Elementary next year….who’d have thought it, Mr Twinkle Toes!
Then it was Lily’s turn to be a diva, just not the way I wanted. I was supposed to be going to Eaglesfield BD but hadn’t taken her hormones into account. Foolishly I had hoped she wouldn’t still be cycling in the frosts of December, silly mummy! She felt a little odd on the Sunday during a hack (‘Mummy I don’t feel well, please be gentle with me, swish, swish’), but on the Monday Pigtails was in the house (‘I TOLD YOU YESTERDAY, WHY DON’T YOU EVER LISTEN TO ME, I HATE YOU!’) So we withdrew…
However, Jasmine and Reggie were there and….roll on the drums…..they won their novice and joined the 70% club too!! Top banana and very well deserved. She has the Konigs, Reggie has the bling…now they are getting the results, I must be in for one hell of a Christmas bonus!!
On the Friday we went to pay Rosie a visit at her new home. Son of Rosie (Liberator UK aka Luke) looks like he is going to be a right cheeky monkey and Rosie is as fat as a house looking very content in her new role. I watch her family grow with interest!
This week we took Lily to Duckhurst to school around the course. It is only fair that I say Lily jumped like a star, her mother on the other hand needs to practise what she preaches. After our initial warm-up I cantered to my first fence. Lily was in a bit of a dolly-day-dream and the fence rather took her by surprise. I was caught in front of the movement and it can certainly be said that I jumped first (uhum) so found myself hanging round her neck while there was a momentary pause before Lily said ‘oh, well if you’re gonna jump I had better jump’. So she popped the fence, pushing me further up her neck and by the time she landed I was on her ears. She flicked her head up, I somehow avoided eating sand (and let’s be fair the surface at Duckhurst doesn’t look like it tastes nice) and clung on for dear life as she cantered off around the arena. I managed to wriggle back down her neck, get hold of the reins and eventually get myself back in the saddle with Lily saying ‘which fence next mummy?!’ Two laps of Duckhurst later I pulled her up. It was quite a while later before my heart beat returned to normal.
On Friday Martin took Tinka to Lucy’s for a jumping lesson. It must be about eight months since Lucy has seen her and she thought she looked like a different horse, was really impressed with how she jumped and loved her attitude. Top marks for Tinka!
With ‘Do as I say, not as I do’ the moral of the day we headed off to Bedgebury today for another busy clinic day…it was FREEZING and three people didn’t make it because they couldn’t get their lorries to start. The joy of lorries in the cold! I don’t think Louisa will thaw for a while…brrr…
Coming up Lily has the saddler and possibly some more SJ practise. We have a pub lunch organised for Xmas day, and shall see the hunt off and more pub lunch on Boxing day. Then Tinka has her BD debut (is capriole necessary at prelim?)…
So the only thing left to do is wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
The dog’s doodahs
Saying goodbye to Harry was horrible as you would expect. He was quite the character and rather a large presence on our part of the yard. He is somewhat noticeable in his absence! Fortunately I can rely on my clients to keep my chin up….
After a fairly long break (Oliver had trashed his fetlock by getting stuck in the field gate), Bonnie went to Essendon & Epping Forest BD to do a Novice test and see if they were back to form. Oh yes, finally made it into the 70% club and won the Open section! Top effort. It is always rewarding to see the underdog do well; you do not need a warmblood to succeed!
Lily has been trying out a different bit, the Sprenger Duo. Harry loved the Nathe as a five year old but Lily just chewed through it like a crocodile with a baby buffalo. However…the Sprenger is three weeks old and is still intact! She feels much less fragile in it, so I am keeping my fingers crossed. We headed off to Bedgebury last Friday to school around the SJ course, the first time out show-jumping in seven months. When we arrived she was convinced we were hunting and was shaking so much her legs were wobbling! I did wonder how she would be after all her recent ‘Daddy Days’ (time with Martin sends us all a bit crazy…) but once we started in the arena and she realised it was a boring ‘Mummy Day’ she relaxed and jumped really well.
Tinka schooled at Bedgebury too, but on the Saturday. She was absolutely beside herself with excitement; grunting like a piglet, and snorting and bucking! She is hilarious. Eventually she calmed down and ended up popping round a course set at 1.10m as if she did it every day of the week. She looks really promising for next year. At 5 years old she is such a cocky whatsit, I swear you could put something quite ridiculous up and she would give it a go. She thinks she’s the dog’s doodahs.
The rest of Saturday was a busy Bedgebury clinic day – we were full to the brim with loads of spectators too. As it gets colder the free tea and coffee that Bedgebury provide is very much appreciated! There were some noticeable highlights – Jules and her young mare Libby came to their first Carmen Court clinic in September and were really green. At Bedgebury two months later Libby jumped like a star. Jules has made a huge improvement to the canter which meant Libby was far more rideable between fences, and wow did she get up in the air! The other one to catch my eye was Lara’s Finley. He first came to Carmen Court last year as a young horse and although very genuine he was a little lacking in power and strength. He looked amazing on Saturday. He has found his springs!
On Sunday Louisa and I headed off to Hartpury for the BD National Convention with the Bartels family. This is always an interesting weekend and this year very much reminded me of fellow Dutch team rider Anky van Grunsven’s convention. For slow down, pull. For go faster, kick. Never give two aids at the same time. Get the horse relaxed. Is it straight? Is it off your leg? Seems like a simple approach but I can assure you it wasn’t easy for the guinea pig riders. Tineke (Mummy Bartels) was seriously disciplined – ‘Do it again’ and even ‘I am the bitch’!! A circle needed precision riding and she did not settle for almost round ‘I want a circle not an eclipse’ and heaven forbid if you lost the shoulder! I wonder what my clients would make of this approach……?!
Monday this week we headed off to Duckhurst, somewhere Lily has never been before. She was more relaxed than at Bedgebury and I was surprised that she wasn’t even vaguely spooky in the arena. We finished up jumping around a course of little fences on a lovely light contact with a super rideable canter. I became aware that I was smiling. Unheard of!
Coming up we have some dressage practise for Lily, a trip out to visit Rosie and her son in their new home, another schooling session over the coloured sticks at Duckhurst, and the next Bedgebury clinic. Pleeease, no snow….
Cronovone Bay (2004 – 2011)
Harry joined the team as a rather raw gangly four year old with a bit of an attitude. Only when I put him on the lorry did I realise that he was about a hand bigger than advertised! A cheap purchase, the dealer wrote ‘This horse is coltish and unpredictable to handle and ride’ on the receipt – he was not wrong!
He may have been an angry young man but it quickly became apparent that he showed a real aptitude across country. His early schooling sessions proving him to be exceptionally brave and bold. It was no surprise that he went on to love his hunting, jumping whatever he was pointed at. He would have made a super Master’s horse.
He had a serious dislike of the school, something that never changed, but by cajoling him along his flatwork went from strength to strength. In four BD outings he gained 29 points, several times scoring over 70% and leading his section at Tweseldown this spring with 22.5. Away from home he always tried his best.
His showjumping too saw a major turnaround. In the early days I wondered if he would ever get it – he has taught me such a lot. I have enjoyed the last three years so much, my big quirky dark haired bad boy has been a very rewarding horse to work with. Underneath all his bluster he was such a good boy and I trusted him totally. He was so easy to have out, and we had come such a long way.
Yes he could be foul in his stable, but there was also his sense of humour and schoolboy antics. Despite his huge distrust of people he tolerated his mother and allowed me to be the ‘senior partner’. We had so much fun together. He will be very much missed.
My big grumpy teddy bear.
Hunting or dressage?
It was great to be back at Bedgebury for our first winter jumping clinic of the year. They continue to make huge improvements there and the new surface rode really well. You should see the new horsewalker – wowee! We had quite a few new faces which is always great, as usual the small ponies and children showing us adults how it should be done! It was a lovely afternoon, everyone seeming to enjoy it and take away their homework. The November date is full already – fingers crossed no nasty white stuff stops play this year!
Lily was given the choice; she could go hunting with daddy or do some dressage with mummy…..so off they headed to Montague for the St Hubert’s day meet with the Coakham Bloodhounds! I had been worrying. On St. Hubert’s day a local priest always comes to bless this year’s hounds. I had this vision; mid-prayer, heads bowed, hats off, Pigtails does ‘Crazy Frog’. Thankfully she was very quiet, well until the hounds moved off that is. As is usually the case on the third or fourth day out, Lily was pretty full on, quite the feisty ginger pony having a total ball. How could mummy have even suggested dressage as an alternative?! I have no need to worry what this wild partying in the mud will be doing for Lily’s dressage prospects as Martin tells me that she has a spanking medium trot. This was after he told me about the race that his point to point friend Paul was trying to get him to sign up to. Uhum. I can see that I am going to have to split those two lads up!
I did go to Stilebridge BD the following day, but on foot to support Louisa and Strider. Only their second or third affiliated novice outing and he scored a very respectable 67% and a 2nd place – what a good boy!
On Tuesday Harry went back to the vets to be assessed after eight weeks of walking, lungeing, trotting poles and regular dates with the chiropractor. He now looks like an old man. He is very stiff and sore, still unrideable, and looks very uncomfortable. The vet and I made the decision that we have done all we can. We brought him home but at some point in the near future he will be put to sleep. Poor Harry, he is only seven, we had made such progress and had so much more fun to have.
On a lighter note Lily had a lovely day out with Martin hunting at Attwood Farm with Coakham again yesterday. A really busy day with 55 out, I thought she might be really feisty again. She looked a bit like a greyhound when she got off the lorry but was as quiet as a lamb at the meet standing watching everything go on around her. Martin said she was much better behaved, and much more rideable. In her keeness I think she was a little disrespectful of some of the timber fences (well OK, he said she hurdled a couple!) but generally jumped really well, especially the hedges, including a rather large drop hedge. I hunted Harry a few times at the same age and he was pretty scary. A big uneducated young horse dragging his small jockey around the countryside like a rag doll seemingly totally unaware of where his legs were. At least Lily is quick and clever. I’d want danger money to do that again! We firmly believe in hunting them though, they learn so much.
Daddy’s little racehorse
I know it’s starting to get colder but we had the most amazing bright sunshine at the last Carmen Court jumping clinic. Lily and Jazz did some gridwork with me in the morning, both jumping really well. Jazz hasn’t been jumped since February and was surprisingly calm about the whole thing. Then a few groups in the afternoon. As usual it was a very relaxed day, everyone really seeming to benefit from coming out and schooling round a course or doing some exercises away from home. I can’t believe that’s another year over.
Martin took Lily to the Kent and Surrey Bloodhounds opening meet. There were nearly 50 out and she was a total star again. She took everything in her stride; jumping ditches, timber, water, and what Martin described as a ‘Junior Hedge’. Doesn’t look that ‘junior’ to me….very proud of my little girl! In our house she is now referred to as “Daddy’s little racehorse”.
While Lily was galloping around the countryside Morgan and Smurf swapped their jumping tack for dressage tack and went to Eaglesfield unaffiliated. Having seen their flatwork in the week I had suggested that maybe they were ready to take the plunge and affiliate him. To prove a point Smurf won the Prelim with 74% and the Novice with 71%…..ooh we do love a winner!
Winter must be approaching as the Eaglesfield BD series has also started. In the first one on Tuesday Debbie and Jasmine were both in the Elementary. Despite having barely ridden in two months due to a bad back Debbie posted a win, only narrowly pipping Jasmine who has only had two rides on Reggie at this level. So a first and a second for Team Lamy – Hoo-Hah! Maybe it was the threat of thumb screws….
Then on Thursday I went to Mount Mascal for a BHS course on how rider position and anatomy affects the horse’s way of going. These courses are always very interesting but I think the biggest thing I took away was probably about my own wonky body and how it affects my horses rather than anything to do with my clients!
Coming up we have a busy half term, the first Bedgebury winter jumping clinic, Harry’s third chiro session, and a possibility of a day out with Coakham for Lily and Martin. Fingers crossed I can actually go and watch this time!!
Rosie’s Sister Charlotte
Lily saw the chiropractor last week, and all was well in the world again. She even had her debut hunting experience at the weekend, a pre-season day with the Kent and Surrey Bloodhounds. Unfortunately I was working all day but her school report was glowing. The photos show a pretty chilled out horse and Martin says she jumped like a star.
Jasmine is on a serious roll now. Three BD Novice wins in three outings – Yeah Baby! Reggie continues to strutt his funky stuff, last week at Oldencraig BD and this week at Stilebridge BD. Not only are they winning but they have now qualified for the Winter Regionals and have made their debut at Elementary with a yellow ribbon. Wowee!
Another ongoing success story is Katie and her young horse Ginger. I started teaching them in the Spring and it was pretty obvious that they were not a happy couple. The critical point was to move yards, not something I usually suggest but I think sometimes we underestimate the impact different environments have on different horses. What works for one can be awful for another and he was not a happy soldier. So I pitch up as new instructor and after three lessons I say that I think she needs to give serious consideration to moving. My name must be mud with the yard owner, but hey-ho I have pretty thick skin (just as well because the little Picanto is no getaway car!) and anyway, the client and their horse is my concern. I find that people are generally very trusting, it’s my Derren Brown-style subliminal hacking skills “Look into my eyes!!” Three months has passed, Katie and Ginger have gone from strength to strength, recently attending their first training competition, coming 2nd in their dressage. By all accounts the boy was a total superstar all day and Katie couldn’t be more thrilled. What a transformation. Onwards and upwards!
Whilst recently at a Pony Club B test, examiner Penny Sangster was telling me that she remembers the Scales of Training (Rhythm Suppleness Contact Impulsion Straightness Collection) by thinking ‘Royal Shakespeare Company, Imperial Shakespeare Company’. I have always had success using acronyms for remembering things, ‘All King Edward’s Horses’…’Some Old Hens’…they are locked away in my head forever. So what did this year’s North West Kent B test trainees come up with? The fictional ‘Rosie’s Sister Charlotte Is a Silly Cow’….hah! Well that certainly highlights the difference between the East Sussex branch and us but I am very happy that the girls will not forget this, and neither will I. My only concern is that I will at some point say it out loud!
On Sunday I was very much looking forwards to a jumping lesson with Joe Meyer as he was teaching at Carmen Court. Lily has been going so well and had jumped like a star on Thursday but by Friday there were signs that things may not be quite the ticket, and sure enough by Sunday morning Pigtails was in the house. Joe quietly sat in his chair while the ginger one stropped about waving her undercarriage at him and I clung on for dear life. Big groan…I really had hoped we were past this. My immediate thought was that she was uncomfortable in her mouth after hunting at the weekend, but this morning she was so heavily in season she could barely stand, let alone put one foot in front of the other. Looking at some other dates this theory may play out. Lily didn’t come with an instruction manual, we are learning as we go and it seems there are a few pieces to the jigsaw! In the meantime every muscle in my body aches and I have a bruised forehead. Pigtails does a smashing Glaswegian Kiss….
Only five more minutes
Harry has been to the the vets for his nuclear scintigraphy (bone scan). It confirmed the diagnosis of sacroiliac pain as well as hindleg proximal suspensory desmitis. As it is the sacroiliac pain causing the majority of his issues we are trying to treat that first. We are to return to the vets for another assessment after six weeks of lungeing and physio. It all looks rather bleak but we are going to do our best to see if we can get him back into work. I hope the Irish boy has a lucky clover hidden away somewhere.
On a more positive note Janet Crumbie and Drummer won their debut BD Restricted Novice Freestyle to Music class at Oldencraig – top banana! Not to be outdone Jasmine was out last Tuesday at South of England BD and got the top spot with Reggie in her Novice class. Frankly I wouldn’t have been surprised if she had lifted her Timbertops hoody over her head and run through the car park whooping and waving her red rosette. Imagine her disappointment when it turned out to be dark blue!
At the recent Carmen Court jumping clinic I took the opportunity to pop Lily around the course, something I haven’t done for ages while her mouth has been so sensitive. Oh boy wasn’t it obvious – I think it’s time to get some lessons organised again. Not enough canter Janine (as if I don’t spend my life saying that, you’d think I would know better!) She was a little green having not done much all summer but jumped well despite her mother…
Talking of lessons Martin was balloted from Munstead and a last minute lesson with NZ Olympian Joe Meyer became available just down the road so we rerouted to that. He is a lovely guy and it was really interesting to watch. So often lessons concentrate on how the horse is going but this lesson was definitely about how Martin was riding. Joe has a lot of empathy with the horses and this session was all about keeping Tinka relaxed, riding her with less contact and keeping the canter energised (noticing the theme?!).
Then on the Sunday Martin took Otto and Tinka up to Bedgebury where Emma Whittington was attempting to set a World Record by riding continuously for 28 hours in aid of Cancer Research and Hospice in the Weald. Martin had decided to lend her Tinka and ride Otto alongside to keep her awake. He had the 9am shift and by then she had been in the saddle for 24 hours. The thought of riding in Martin’s saddle after 24 hours is quite hideous, it takes the skin off my backside after 5 minutes! Apparently she was rather tearful when he arrived (perhaps she had heard the rumours about his saddle) and when the Stinka and Ottoman flew off the lorry ramp snorting and boinging her mother nearly had a heart attack. However, ten minutes later Emma was hacking through the Bedgebury Forest with her feet out of the stirrups and the reins on the buckle (phew!). She did it, and raised a lot of money, but I think she must be bonkers!
On Tuesday last week the wonderful Nick Coles came to do the horses’ six monthly teeth check. Lily spent longer in the dentist’s chair than the others but she was a very good girl and we rewarded her with a sugar-free lolly pop and a smiley sticker….
Then on Saturday Tinka contested her first BE100 at South of England. It was a 4am alarm and the first time we have ever arrived at a horse trial in the dark. As I was reminded at regular intervals throughout the day, it was all my fault, I had asked for early times. I didn’t mean that early! She did her best dressage test so far for 36.5, had one rail down in the SJ and stormed the XC like an old campaigner to finish up 14th. We are absolutely delighted. To achieve this in nine months is really something. What a good girl!
Then on Sunday Lily went to Stilebridge for her first competition since the Spring. She was on her best behaviour and finished up 2nd in the prelim qualifying for their Championships. Unfortunately she got cast earlier in the week and has obviously tweaked something as she was skipping a bit in the canter. I hadn’t really picked it up before the warm-up and knowing how sensitive she is, the slightest discomfort can cause a meltdown so as I trotted down the centre line I was singing in my best judge can’t hear voice ‘there’s a good Lily, only five more minutes…’
So we have the chiropractor for Lily this week, and the chiropractor for Harry next week. Just myself to organise then!
Harry Rasta
It is ages since I updated you. My apologies, after the chaos of summer we escaped to Portugal for a lovely relaxing holiday in the sun. I’m not sure what happened to the weather while we were away but we seem to have come back to winter.
The August Carmen Court jumping clinic started with a group of three very nervous jockeys who between them hadn’t left the floor in years. They were all somewhere between grey and green to look at, but they jumped around a small course of fences in fine style. And no Donna, Janine Lamy branded sick bags is not what I call good marketing!
We had two groups XC schooling at Bonfleur, including some four year olds having their introduction to XC jumps. They were all really good and took it in their stride, going away full of confidence for next time. Bonfleur is ideal for mixed groups as there is something for everyone and means I can have lead horses for the younger ones without interrupting the flow of the day.
Great news from the North West Kent pony clubbers, Lily Ward passed her B test care and Sophie Etheridge her B test riding. Well done girls!
I have been helping Mark Powell and his huge dude of a horse Harvey. We are starting to see where Laura gets her competitive streak and recently they were 2nd after the dressage and posted a double clear in the Sevenoaks RC ODE. All we need to do now is get the big boy (Harvey, not Mark) cutting some tighter lines to get home inside the time. Watch out Laura, your father is nipping at your heels!
Jasmine was delighted to be placed at the BD Area Festival at Pachesham on Reggie. I think the photo says it all! They have Regional qualification in their sights, fingers crossed.
Tomorrow I drop Harry to the vets for a bone scan. I am not expecting good news but after all this time a diagnosis would be good. He now has a rather long mane and is starting to look more Bob Marley than Michael Flatley.
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